Device for automatically controlling lamps on vehicles.



PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908.

J. W. P. SMITHWIGK. DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING LAMPS ONVBHIGLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22, 1907.

INVENTOR aim/1.99mi

Zla/ m n 0 ATTORNEYS WI TNESSES UNITED sira r ns P NT OFFICE tonvrcn ron AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING LAMPS on VEHIOLESJ Application filed March 22, 1907. Serial No. $63,793:.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. P. SMITH- WICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of LaGrange, in the'county of Lenoir and.State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Device for Automatically Controlling Lam s on'V'ehicles, of

which the following 1s a ful description.

automatic means-for controlling the lamps on automobiles or other Wheeled vehicles, which will turn the lamps, so as to constantly throw their light, in the direction of progressive movement had by the vehicle, and thus illuminate the roadwayin front of the same. The invention consists in the provision of lamp controlling means,-an'd also of selected parts and theircombination, as is hereinaf ter described and defined in the appended claims. I i

Reference is to be had to the accompany-- ing drawings forming a part of this specifica tion, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side view of afront end portion of an automobile, and of details-of the Improvement mountedthereon; Fig. 2 is an en ar ed plan view of the frame of an autornobi e, and. of the lam controller thereon; and Fi is an enlarge transverse sectional view of details taken substantially on the line 3'3 in Fig. 2, seen in direction of arrows in said figure. i

In the drawings that show the improvement, and one means for carrying the principleinto effect, 10 indicates side members of a rame for an automobile, which is selected as a preferred vehicle for displaying the improvement and its practical a phcation. An axle 11 which supports the orward portion of the vehicle is carried by apair of wheels 12 that are held free to rotate on stub" spindles 11 that are ointed upon end portions of the axle, as indicated at a in Fig. 2. Upon the vertical pivot to for each stub spindle 11 an arm 13 is mounted and rigidly secured, said arms being "prefer ably extended rearward and may be laterally curved toward each other, as shown in Fig. 2. The arms 13, are

l disposed in the same plane that may with advantage be horizontal, and on rear ends of the arms a corresponding end of a connecting rod 13 1s.p1voted as at 6, thus affording means for rocking the spindles 11 simulta- Specification of Letters Patent.

, clear, and exact The purpose of this invention is to provide Patented. March 31, 1908.

, neously by an endwise movement of the connecting rod. w a

Upon one pivot b, an end of a link bar 14 isloosely mounted, and thence extends a distance across the vehicle frame, to have its remaining endmounted upon the lower end of a vertical shaftnot shown, that carries a hand wheel, not shown.

, The constructive detailsthat/have been described are .well known, and afford means forv rocking the front wheels 12 laterally, and thus control the movement of the vehicle to give it a desireddirectionwhile inmot-ion. The novel mechanism for simultaneously and correspondingl rocking' one or more lamps, at the front 0 the automobile, will now be described. 1 I Upon theffront portionofv each side member 10 of the automobileframe, abracket arm 15 is secured, and projects therefrom a suitabledistance, each arm having.- an upright member; 15" that is axially perforated asatcin Fig. 3.' In the verticalpe'rforation c a oylindrical'stem 16f, \thatjis the lower portion of .a lamp standard 16, is loosel insorted, said standardin. complete form aving two limbs 16 that are s aced apart for reception betweenthem of t e body 17, of one ofthe lamps which may be of any preferred construction, (the 1am body being supported on the upper ends 0 the limbs 16 lower end'of each stem 16" the perforated hub end of a preferably curved arm 18, is secured firmly by'means of two jam nuts e that engage the projecting threaded lower end of said stem and are forcibly impinged uponeac'h other and ofnthe arm mentioned as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.' 4

The curved arms 18, as shown, are projected rearwardly, but this may be changed and said arms may be forwardly disposed, if the style and construction of running gears of the vehicle require it. rangement of the arms 18 is such with regard disposed in the same plane arallel with each members 10, when the arms 18 are projected rearwardly, and arallel with the plane ,of said frame mern ers 10, this relative a1"- rangernent of parts being clearly shown in Fig. 24 A rocking bar 19 is employed for the connection of rear ends of the curved arms 18, by pivoting respective ends of said rockas indicated in Figs. 2 and ,3). Upon the The relative ar-- to the lamp bodies 17 that'the latter will be other, and likewise with t at of the frame Ill ing bar thereon. As represented in Fig. 2, the rocking bar 19 is rendered adjustable for length by means of a turn buckle or sleeve nut f, that has a threaded engagementwith ends of the bar which are disposed adjacent to each other, it being understood that the rocking bar is formed nectedas explained.

of two ;pieces con- The provision of a lon itgdinally adjustable rocking bar is of a' vantage in giving the lamps a proper position and dispose their axes in para f rocking bar 19, and one of the arms 13.,

'ing bar 19,

' hicles that have stub ter may be made without departure from the vtwo box clamps g,

lel plan'es, andital'so is advantageous for adapting the length of said bar 19, to conform with the Width of various styles of automobiles. A shifting rod 20 is connected by its ends, respectively, upon the and always throw their light directly in front of the automobile.

The device is extremely simple, and may bcreadily adapted for use on any automobile, and mayalso be applied upon other vesuch as described forv directive control of the wheels mounted on said spindles.

As many changes of a subordinate characcontrolling principle of my invention, I claim all such deviations from the precise construction shown, as will fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

-Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Thecombination with a vehicle frame, a front axle, stub spindles pivoted to the ends of the axle, wheels on the spindles, rear- Prefcorrespondingly spindles and means lwardly extending arms on the spindles, a rod connecting the arms, and means for manually controlling the pivotal movement of the spindles,. of brackets secured to the frame in front of the axlevand each having an upright member provided with avertical opening, bifurcated standards mounted to turn in the openings of the brackets, lamps pivoted on horizontal pivots between the members of the standards, downwardly curved arms rig idly secured to the lower ards, a rod connecting the arms of the standards, said rod comprising two sections piv, oted at one end to the arms and havin their other ends screw threaded and a turn uckle on the screw threaded ends of the rods, adjustable boxes, one on the said rod and the other on an arm of'one of the spindles, and a rod extending diagonally across the axle and having its ends pivoted to the said boxes.

2. In an automatic lamp controlling device for vehicles, the combination of'a vehicle frame, a front axle, to the ends of the axle, wheels on the spindles, rearwardly extending arms on the spindles, a rod connecting the armsfmeans for manually controlling the pivotal movement of the spindles, brackets secured'to' the frame in front of the axle and provided with vertical openings, bifurcated standards mounted to ends of said standstub spindles pivoted turn in the openings of the brackets and having their lower ends projecting througl: the same, lamps pivoted on horizontal pivots between the members of the standards, down wardly and rearwardly extending arms r idly secured to the lower ends of the stands ards, a rod connecting'the arms of vthe standards, adjustable boxes, one on the said rod and the otheron an arm of one of the spindles, and a rod; extending diagonally across the axle and having its ends pivoted'to the said boxesf 'In testimonywhereof I have signed my' name to this specification in the presence ,of two subscribing witnesses.

. J JOHN WASHINGTON PEARCE-SMITHWICK.

Witnesses: Y v W. H. WALTERS,

D. L. FIELDS. 

